There is a lot of talk about "saving marriage in America" nowadays. And we agree that it needs to be saved. We are appalled at the divorce rate in America, and believe that there should be financial incentives for counseling prior to getting married.
We the undersigned have heard a lot of talk about "saving marriage in America," and we agree that it needs to be saved. We are appalled at the divorce rate in America, which appears to be the same regardless of one's faith (Christian, athiest, etc.). The direct economic costs of divorce are small compared to the long-term emotional costs, especially when children are involved. It is tragic that Americans are required to complete more preparation to get a driver's license than to get a marriage license. The effects of broken relationships on America's society are greater than those of automotive accidents.
Therefore, we ask that the Federal Government provide a simple but strong economic incentive for premarital counseling: if, prior to their wedding, the couple jointly and succesfully completes an approved five-hour course on handling relationships and interpersonal conflict, they will receive a credit toward the first income tax return after their wedding: $500 for a couple filing jointly, or $200 apiece for those filing separately. Following that, couples who remain married will receive additional tax rewards each year.
There is no guarantee for every marriage. And a tax credit like this would have to be structured to prevent abuse (e.g. it only applies to first marriages, and diminishes for subsequent marriages). But if we insist on "saving marriage in America," we believe we should tackle the biggest threat first: divorce. Serious financial incentives are one way to make couples take the issue seriously.
